Come Back
by Bamie02
Summary: Deeks had to go undercover as Max Gentry, and he's not the same when he gets home. Will he be able to find his way back before he loses everything, including Kensi?
1. Chapter 1

_Good luck people. I have no excuses for this except my bad mood wrote it. If you have read my other stories, you know I like happiness, and, well, that isn't in this...yet. Give it time, it'll get there._

_Thanks to bookdiva, who let me drag her down with me on this. _

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_He knocked on her door, shifting from one foot to the other as he waited for her to open it. Bates had just called him, and he was set to go undercover in a few hours. It should have been sooner, but this wasn't something Deeks was going to budge on. He knew he had to talk to Kensi before he left, because whatever was going on between them, it was much different – stronger – than ever before, and he knew this was now or never. He owed it to her at the very least to tell her about this assignment face to face._

_As she opened the door, she smiled a little._

_"Hey Deeks." Opening the door wider to let him in, she watched as he nervously put his hand to the back of his neck before coming inside. Instantly, she knew something was wrong._

_"What is it? What's going on?" She folded her arms around middle, getting a sick feeling in her stomach._

_"Bates just called. I'm going under tonight." He wouldn't make eye contact, looking at anything but her. She knew by the lack of eye contact that there was more._

_"Okay. Deeks, who are you going under as?" She watched as he took several breaths before answering her._

_"Max." Kensi felt her knees buckle and was thankful for the chair behind her. _

_The last time he went under as Max Gentry had been for NCIS to help Ray. He hadn't told her much about him, but what she heard over comms was enough to know that Max was not a nice guy. The transformation she heard, even if it was for a short while, was eye opening to say the least. She witnessed how he had slipped into the more aggressive role with ease and she was shocked how fast her usually laid back partner had turned hard, angry and violent. What was going to happen when he had to go undercover as Max for more than a few hours?_

_"Deeks –"She wanted to say something, anything, but she didn't know where to start. _

_"Bates is thinking it should be about a month or so. I uh, I just wanted to tell you in person. I owe you that at least." He gave a sad chuckle before finally looking at her._

_"When do you have to go in?" She stood up, walking to him._

_"I've got about three hours before I have to be there." He wasn't going to tell her about the ass chewing he had received when he refused to show up right away. Deeks had tried for the next morning, but that was shot down before the words left his mouth._

_Kensi grabbed his hand, his face showing the shock he was feeling. His heart started beating faster, as she brought her body closer to him, her eyes never leaving his. As fast as his heart was beating, he was pretty sure it stopped when she pressed her lips to his. He heard a growl come out as he went to deepen the kiss, wrapping his arms around her. They stayed that way until air became a necessity. He reluctantly removed his lips and put his forehead to hers. _

_"So uh, wow, that just happened." His words made Kensi laugh before kissing him again. His hands roamed over her back, lifting her shirt a little to feel her skin, making her shiver. She pulled back from him, grabbing his hands again and walked backwards to her bedroom, eyes never leaving his. He had a cocky grin on his face and she loved it._

_"So darlin', you have an idea of how to spend those few hours?" He pulled her to him, closing her bedroom door and kissed her until they both forgot their names._

Kensi woke with a start, her heart pounding. It was the same dream she had every night since he had come back from the assignment. Except it wasn't Deeks that had come back, at least not completely, it was Max. Her hand drifted to the cold sheets next to her. There was someone who should be laying there next to her, holding her while they slept. But she was worried that someone wasn't coming back.

Physically, he was there. Mentally, he was someone else. He had been gone for six weeks and back with her – well, not her, but the team – for two. And it seemed every day since he had come back from being the infamous Max Gentry, he lost himself a little more. Every morning, when she would walk into the bull pen and say her good mornings, she would make eye contact with her partner, but after the first week, she realized it wasn't her partner she was saying good morning to. The usual sparkle in his eye was slipping further away, the hard glint getting more prominent.

In the field, nothing changed. Deeks was still the only person she trusted to have her back, and while the banter between them was still there, it wasn't the same. Deeks was more crude now, his laugh a little different. He would still tease her, but there was almost something mean about it now. But as soon as it was time to work, the old Deeks seemed to find his way back, his mind in the game and it gave her a glimmer of hope.

A tear slipped from her eyes as she closed them, determined to push through the pain. She rolled over, her back facing the empty place in the bed as she willed her mind to sleep, knowing she would have the same dream again tonight and she both welcomed and dreaded it.

The next morning, Kensi woke up with red eyes and a headache. It was nothing new, this ragged look she was sporting. But the nausea that hit her - that was new. She ran to the bathroom before unloading her stomach's contents into the toilet. She laid on the bathroom floor for a while, trying to get her stomach to stop rolling.

_Great, a stomach bug. Exactly what I need right now._

When she finally thought the sick feeling had passed, she got up and showered, hoping it was a one-time deal. She dressed quickly and left, hoping to get some coffee and doughnuts on the way. What she wasn't expecting was the smell of the coffee to make her sick, too. She barely managed to get the car door opened before being sick once again.

She made it to work with no other issues and sat down, not even bothering with pleasantries this morning. Deeks narrowed his eyes at her, noticing the circles under her eyes and her pale complexion.

"Busy night Kens?" He raised an eye brow at her, eyes hard at what he was insinuating.

"Shut up Deeks." She didn't even look at him, placing her hand on her stomach as it started to roll again.

"Kens, you don't look good." Sam's voice was filled with concern.

"I'm fine." And with those words, she shot up from her desk and ran for the bathroom. All three men stared at her, knowing she was anything but fine.

Kensi was genuinely surprised she still had anything left in her stomach. When she finished, she leaned her head back against the bathroom stall and waited, wanting to make sure she was done before she got up. She had almost made it back to her desk before realization hit her. Her period. It hadn't shown up since before Deeks had left for the assignment.

_No, no, no, no, no, no._

She started hyperventilating, alerting the guys that something was very wrong. Sam was the first one up, followed quickly by Callen and Deeks. Sam took her arm, leading her to the couch and instructing her to put her head between her knees.

Everyone was standing around her as she managed to calm down a little.

"Kensi, I'm going to drive you home, okay? You're not looking good right now, and we don't need you passing out on us." She just nodded her head at Callen's comment, not trusting herself to speak.

Deeks grabbed her arm, helping her up. As soon as she was standing, she met his eyes. If they didn't have the stony look to them, she would have confessed then and there her fears. But the man looking at her wasn't Deeks. At least not completely. And until _her_ Deeks was more in control, she couldn't let him know what was going on.

She got to Callen's car, and right before she closed the door, she heard Max talking.

"She should really lay off the liquor. Especially if it's going to make her sick. She's hot, but pale isn't a good color on her." She slammed the door closed, another tear escaping. She looked in the mirror, seeing Sam turn to Deeks and start yelling, his finger in his chest.

Callen climbed in the driver side, hearing Deeks's comment and watching Sam's reaction. If he didn't need to take Kensi home, he would have been in on it too. What he said, it was inexcusable. They all saw the change in him after coming back from his undercover, but had decided to give him some time to come back to his old self. Callen now wished they had done more. Kensi needed her partner, not his shell.

"Callen, stop by the store for me, please? I need to pick up something." He just nodded his head and pulled into the next store he saw.

"Want me to go in and get something for you?" She started shaking her head.

"No, I've got it." She quickly got out and ran inside, straight to the pregnancy tests. Grabbing three tests, she went up to the front of the store and paid. If she had been thinking straight, she would have bought some other items to hide the original purchase, but she hadn't, and Callen saw through the flimsy plastic as soon as she walked out of the store.

When she opened the door to the car and sat down, Callen reached over, drawing her into a hug. That was all Kensi needed to start the flow of tears she had so desperately been trying to keep at bay. They stayed like that for several minutes, Callen allowing her time to get it out and then get herself together. As soon as she pulled away, he grabbed her hand, not letting go until he pulled into the parking space in front of her place.

Kensi was just staring ahead, so lost in thought and not realizing they had pulled up to her apartment. Callen walked around and helped her out, taking the keys from her and getting her inside. He handed her the bag of tests and motioned for the bathroom.

"Go Kens. I'll wait right here. I'm not going anywhere." She nodded at him and tried to smile, but ended up just frowning.

She walked into the bathroom and read the instructions. She diligently peed on the stick, careful not to make a mess (if that was possible). She put the test on the counter and walked back into the living room.

Callen raised his eyes to meet hers when she walked back in and sat down.

"Gotta wait three minutes." He nodded and watched as she fiddled with her hands.

When the three minutes were up, she got up and nodded at him, silently asking him to come with her. He stood up, and before they walked into the bathroom, he stopped her.

"No matter what that says Kens, I'm here for you. Sam is here for you. And I know Deeks is here for you, too." Hearing his name made the tears well up again but she pushed them back. She nodded, took a deep breath and walked to the counter.

_Positive._

She crumbled to the floor, unable to stop the rush of tears now. Callen sat with her, holding her while she cried. They sat like that for a while until Callen realized she had cried herself to sleep. He gently picked her up and carried her to her room.

Closing the door quietly, he put word out to his partner that he was staying with Kensi today, since she was sick and he wanted to make sure she was okay. This was Kensi's news to tell, not his. She would do it when she was ready. And they would be there for her no matter what.

Now he just needed to figure out how to get the old Deeks back.

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_AN - Should I continue it? I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little nervous about it. I would love to hear your thoughts on it!_


	2. Chapter 2

_A few things before we begin. OMG you guys! The response to this was unreal! To everyone who followed/favorite and reviewed...I am blown away. Thank you!_

_To justareader07 - your insight and help with this is so greatly appreciated, you have NO idea! THANK YOU!_

_Kenzalina - you, my friend, are awesome and amazing and I can't thank you enough - ever - for all of your help and encouragement. No matter what I write, you support it. Saying thank you all the time can't do it justice. _

_Without further ado - hope you all enjoy this chapter._

_Disclaimer - sigh. still aren't mine._

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Deeks eyed Kensi as she came back from the bathroom. He had watched as she took off a few minutes earlier, and as much as he wanted to go after her to make sure she was okay, he just sat there.

Being Max for so long had taken its toll on him, and he was having a harder than normal time coming out of it. In fact, instead of getting the old Deeks back a little more each day, he felt himself slipping away. He had only gone surfing once since he had gotten back, he found himself ignoring Monty more, but the thing that killed him the most was his attitude towards Kensi.

Every night when he laid down, he would think back over the day, and on more than one occasion he would be physically ill thinking of the things he had said to her. And he would vow to himself that the next day, as soon as he woke up, he would find a way to fix it. Except he found himself waking up as Max, not Deeks, the dreams he was having pulling him back under, and his good intentions would fly out the window.

He remembered when he came back, excited but nervous to see her. But the look on her face when he smiled at her had concern on it. And they hadn't really talked since he had been home. He had been hoping they could pick up where they left off, but her reluctance to acknowledge that night had him second guessing everything. Deeks knew he didn't regret anything that had happened between them, but he was now worried that Kensi thought it was a mistake. They had yet to talk about anything of importance, and with the way he was slipping away, he was worried they never would.

Deeks knew at the times he was in control that she was only letting him decompress, to get back to being home again. But that hadn't mattered much. She was the only thing that kept him from turning into Max completely, the only light in his tunnel. And as much as he wanted to ask for her help, he was also worried about dragging her down with him.

He was brought back to the present when Kensi started hyperventilating. Sam was the first to move, he and Callen not far behind. The concern he had, it was real, and it was Deeks. When Kensi sat down, Deeks wanted to sit next to her and rub her back, but he knew it wouldn't be welcomed right now. When Callen told her he was taking her home, he could feel Max coming back to the forefront, pissed off that someone else was replacing him. His eyes got hard as he watched Callen help _his_ Kensi, and when Kensi looked at him, he knew she saw Max, not him.

He followed them out, Sam next to him. Max had overtaken him now, and he said the first thing that came to mind.

"She should really lay off the liquor. Especially if it's going to make her sick. She's hot, but pale isn't a good color on her." The moment the words were out of his mouth, he heard the car door slam, knowing she had heard that. He should have felt shame - Deeks would have felt shame - but whatever he felt quickly turned to anger when Sam turned on him.

"What the hell Deeks? What the fuck is going on in that head of yours, huh?" Sam put his finger on Deeks chest, pissed off to the point of no return right now. "That's your partner. _Your partner_. But you seem to have forgotten what that is. It should be you who is taking care of her right now, not Callen. But you can't get your head out your ass long enough to figure out who you are." Sam turned and walked back inside as Callen drove off.

"Hey, I know she's my partner. I was just making an observation. You can't tell me that she looked good today. I just assumed she'd been drinking. That girl does like her beer." He smirked a little, but it was more menacing than anything.

"Who am I talking to right now, huh? Are you Marty Deeks or Max Gentry?" Sam turned, dead serious on this question.

"Aren't they the same person?" Deeks cocked his head to the side, not backing down from the death glare Sam was sending him.

"No Deeks. They are not the same person. Marty Deeks would have taken his partner home, made sure she was okay. Max Gentry is a douche bag who needs to stay away from her." Deeks heard the challenge in his voice.

"Oh yeah? Well, being the good partner I am, maybe I'll stop by tonight and check on her." His mouth twitched at the thought.

"You go over there as Max Gentry, you will never step foot in this mission again." Sam stared at him, wondering if and when Deeks would make a reappearance.

The guys had been watching out for Kensi without her knowing when they were in the field. They didn't know what was going on with Deeks, but they had to make sure he had her back when it mattered. And so far, he hadn't let them down. He was always Deeks when they left the mission, always making sure he did what he had to do to keep him and her safe. But as soon as it was over, it was like Max was waiting on the sidelines to take back the reigns. You could almost see the transformation take place. If it had been anyone else, it would have been fascinating to watch.

But it wasn't just anyone else. This was Deeks. Kensi's partner. Callen and Sam's team mate. They all had each other's back at the end of the day. And now, Sam realized, he and Callen were going to have to figure out how to get rid of Max for good.

An hour later, Sam pulled his phone out and saw that Callen had texted him. He looked over at Deeks who was busy filling out paperwork.

"Callen is going to stay with Kensi today. Apparently she's pretty sick." Sam narrowed his eyes a little, watching Deeks's reaction.

Deeks immediately looked up. "Is she going to be okay? Does she need anything?" Sam had to blink. Apparently old Deeks was back.

Sam nodded at him. "He just said she was sick and he was going to stay there with her. I didn't get any other details." He threw his pen on the desk and leaned back in his chair.

"What's going on Deeks?" He watched as the younger Detective brought his hands up to face and rubbed his eyes.

Deeks wanted to talk to Sam, knew he needed to talk to someone, but Max Gentry was still too close, making him keep quiet. Deeks looked up, locking eyes with Sam.

Sam sat there patiently, watching the battle in Deek's eyes. He could see the thoughts swirling around, wondering if he should talk to him or not. Sam just hoped the right person won out. Because one way or another, this talk was going to happen, and he needed to know which way it was going to go.

A few minutes later, Sam hadn't lost eye contact with Deeks, and he saw the resolve slip into place. Deeks sighed, knowing if he was going to get past this, to get better not only for himself but for Kensi, then he needed to start somewhere.

"I don't know man. One minute, I'm me, Marty Deeks. The next, Max… Sam it makes me sick to think back on what was said. Did I really say Kensi should lay off the liquor?" He looked at Sam, already knowing the answer, and having it reaffirmed with a nod of a head.

"Oh my God. Sam, how do… what… I have to fix this. I don't want to be Max, but I can't just turn it off." He put his head in his hands, elbows resting on the desk.

Sam thought about it for a minute. "You have to be stronger than Max Gentry. And you are MartyDeeks. If anyone is going to overcome this, it's you. Anytime you feel Max slipping back in, do something or say something to remind yourself that you are Marty Deeks." Deeks just sat there, watching him.

"And talk, Deeks. To me. Callen. I'm sure Hetty can get Nate back here from wherever the hell he is. But especially to Kensi. She needs you. You, her partner, Marty Deeks. Not Max." Deeks nodded at him.

"Yeah, okay. You're right. Just gotta talk about it. I can do that. I mean, if anyone can talk, it's me, right?" He started rambling, and Sam let out a soft sigh. The real Deeks was back for a while.

"Look Deeks, I know we all should have brought this up earlier, and I'm sorry we didn't. I know Callen and I were trying to give you some space, work things out. We both have done the long term covers with some unsavory aliases, and we know how hard it is to remind yourself that you are one of the good guys. I think we sometimes take for granted that Kensi hasn't done a real long term cover before. Her aliases – while sometimes not the best – have never been too bad. And she's always had us at the end of the day. And you… you have us too, Deeks. We will all help you through this." Deeks smiled at him, grateful for his words and knowing he would need their support. Sam just chuckled, picking his pen back up. He stopped, ruffled Deeks's hair making him laugh and got back to the never-ending paperwork.

* * *

By the end of the work day, Deeks had managed to stay Deeks, but it wasn't without some tremendous work on his part. He was filing out old reports, and having to recount some of the things he'd had to do made it easier for Max to try and take over.

Sam had heard Deeks mutter 'fern' and 'Twinkie' during the day. It seemed Deeks had taken some of his advice and whenever he started feeling like Max was showing up, he would associate a word with the old Deeks. Sam had to chuckle that almost everything he said had something to do with Kensi.

"So, you going to go see Kensi tonight? See how she's feeling?" Sam watched him when he asked this, making sure it would Deeks going to see her, not Max.

"Uh, yeah, I was thinking about it. I have some fences to mend, so I was going to take some dinner over. Maybe some chicken soup from the cafe down the road." Sam nodded at him.

"Good idea. Just… make sure you stay Deeks, okay. That's who she needs right now." Deeks frowned a little, already getting tired of hearing that, no matter how true it was.

"Stay Deeks. Got it. I'm good Sam. I've managed to stay Deeks today… well, most of the day." Sam just looked at him.

"I'm good Sam."

"Okay." They both stood up, grabbing their stuff heading out.

Deeks called in the chicken soup, making sure it was ready for him when he got there. He paid and walked out, feeling a little lighter than normal and loving that feeling. Maybe he would take Monty to the beach tomorrow morning, get some surfing in. It had been way too long since he had done that. He was thinking about the beach when he pulled up to Kensi's house, a smile on his face, when he saw Callen's car. He automatically felt some of the irritation and anger from earlier, and he had to force himself to try and stay Deeks. But he knew that Max was already there. He grabbed the soup and walked up to her door, knocking.

As soon as she opened the door, she regretted it. One look into his eyes and she knew who was in front of her, and she didn't want to deal with it.

"What do you want." She tried to keep her voice neutral, hoping this would end soon.

"Now, is that any way to talk to your partner?" He smiled at her, but it wasn't _his_ smile. He waved the soup in front of her. "I even brought soup for you."

Kensi didn't budge. "Thanks but no thanks. Callen got me some soup earlier." The mention of the team leader's name took the smile off Deeks's face.

"Where is our fearless leader, huh?" He tried to move past her, but she planted her feet. At that moment, Callen walked up, seeing the tension in Kensi before he even saw who was at the door.

"Hey Deeks." He looked at the other man, knowing instantly what was going on. He gently took Kensi's arm and moved her, standing in front of her and blocking Deeks.

"Hey Callen. Just brought my partner here some dinner. But I hear you already took care of that for me." Deeks's eyes narrowed slightly at him.

"Well, seeing as her partner wasn't there this morning to help her out, I did. Speaking of, why don't you come back when Deeks shows up. Neither one of us is in the mood for your shit tonight." He went to close the door when Deeks threw his hand up, hitting the door and stopping the forward motion. The slap his hand made caused them all to jump a little.

Deeks looked at Kensi, seeing the tears in her eyes again. She was only one who could bring him back, the one thing he had to hold onto to keep the old Deeks here. And the tears he saw, they managed to push Max out of the way.

"Kensi. Oh God, I am so sorry." He hung his head, ashamed of what had just happened.

Kensi turned and went back to the couch, giving Callen a nod to let him in. Callen moved away from the door and Deeks walked in.

They all sat there in silence for a minute, unsure of what to say. Kensi decided to break the ice.

"Deeks, I don't know how to help you with this, but I'm here for you, no matter what. I'll do whatever you need me to do to get through this. But you have to talk to me." He looked at her, a sad smile on his face.

Callen spoke up next.

"She's not the only one here for you. I am, too. You've got people around you who love and care about you, Deeks. Whatever you need, just say the word." Deeks nodded at him, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with the support he was getting. He had always been on his own, having to find his way back alone. He wasn't use to this, but he knew he would take them up on their offer of help. Because he wasn't stupid, he knew he needed it.

"Thanks. I uh, I gotta use the bathroom. I'll be right back." He stood up, smiling at Kensi once more who returned it.

As soon as the bathroom door closed, Kensi let out a gasp.

"Oh my God, Callen. The test. It's on the counter." She got up, pacing the floor and feeling sick all over again.

Callen stood up as well, ready to go into protective big brother mode if he needed to, unsure of which person was going to come out. He meant it when he said he would help Deeks do what needed to be done to come back to his old self, but he wasn't going to stand around and let Max hurt Kensi, either. He didn't think it would get physical, but some of the things Max would say could be nasty, and Kensi didn't deserve that.

Deeks glanced over at the counter when he walked in and his jaw fell open. There was a pregnancy test sitting there. His eyes narrowed as he walked up to it, seeing the large plus sign staring at him.

He grabbed it, throwing the door open and marched into the living room. He saw both of them standing there, Callen close to her. Deeks would have known it was a brotherly concern that was being shown. Max saw a lover wanting to protect what was his. And Max won out.

"Well, isn't this cute." He pointed to the two of them, leering at Kensi. "I see six weeks was a long time to go without someone in your bed, huh Kens?" He threw the pregnancy test onto the table.

"Deeks, it's not what you think." Kensi desperately wanted her Deeks back, she needed him to understand what exactly was going on instead of jumping to the wrong conclusions.

"Oh darlin', I'm pretty sure it's exactly what I think. You got lonely. I wasn't around. But I bet Callen was, weren't you?" He turned to Callen, eyes narrowed. Callen just folded his arms over his chest and stared at him. He knew he couldn't argue with Max, it wouldn't do any good.

"See, no denying it. Jesus Kens, you really get around, huh? Let me just ask you this, was he better than me?" Kensi couldn't stand it anymore. Tears were streaming down her face now, knowing it was Max talking to her, but it didn't keep the pain from hitting her full force.

Callen took a step forward. "Enough." Deeks just laughed at them.

"Yeah, okay. You're right. This whole thing is bullshit." He turned, and before Kensi could say anything to him, he slammed the door closed.

She came to her senses and ran after him, knowing she had to at least try. She saw him opening the door to his car and she stopped.

"Deeks!" She yelled his name and he turned to her.

"Just can't stay away, can you?" She kept walking towards him, not answering him. As soon as she was close enough, she grabbed his hand and put it on her still flat stomach, the words rushing out before he could do or say anything else.

"It's yours Deeks. This baby, it's yours." She watched as the fight went out of him, and the man now looking at her was her partner. She let out a sigh before wrapping her arms around him, holding on for dear life.

Because Kensi knew, no matter how good it felt to be with Deeks right now, Max was looming close by and he would make more appearances before this was over. And she vowed right then that no matter what, once Max was gone, he was going to be gone forever. Now, she just had to figure out how to do that.

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_AN - I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. It would mean the world if you left a review on your way out. :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_Thank you everyone for the overwhelming response to this story. Hope you all enjoy this chapter._

_Thanks to bookdiva for reading it over...seriously, she's the best!_

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Kensi stood there, arms wrapped around Deeks as she listened to him try and stifle sobs. She didn't let go when she felt her shirt get damp with his tears. And she squeezed even tighter when he got control of himself and tried to pull away, feeling his arms wrap around her again when he realized she wasn't letting go just yet.

"I'm okay Kens. I just… I cannot tell you how sorry I am right now. For the times I have ever been anything less than the partner you deserve, for everything hurtful thing I have said since coming back, for not running after you this morning when you went to the bathroom, for what I said when you got into Callen's car, for you having to get into Callen's car and not mine in the first place… and for tonight. God Kensi, I am so sorry." Deeks buried his face in her neck, inhaling the smell of her shampoo.

"It's okay Deeks." Kensi wanted to reassure him, because she knew that it was Max that had done everything, not him, but there wasn't much conviction in her voice. She still felt the sting of his words, and it was hard to forget that. She felt Deeks pull back, wanting to look at her, and obliged him this time.

"No Kensi, there is nothing okay about it." He brought his hands up to her face, wiping away the tears that she hadn't even realized were still falling. Once her face was dry, he took his right hand and brought it back to her stomach, using his thumb to stroke it. He opened his mouth to say more when another wave of nausea hit her.

Kensi pulled away suddenly, a hand covering her mouth and made a run for her apartment, barely making it to the bathroom in time. She had forgotten about Callen, and she almost lost it when she threw the door open and saw him standing up suddenly. She noted the concerned look on his face as she tried to shake her head, slamming the door shut behind her.

A few minutes later, she walked back out, feeling better. _It's going to be a long nine months_. She stopped when she noticed Deeks hadn't come inside yet. She turned to Callen, eyebrows raised.

"Where's Deeks?" Surely he hadn't left. She had her Deeks back right now, and she would do whatever needed to be done to keep him here.

"He never came inside. Last I checked, he was sitting on the curb mumbling. I tried talking to him, but he kept saying 'I'm just like him.' I think you need to go out there." Kensi's face fell at his words. She knew she had wanted to tell Deeks as soon as possible, but she had wanted it to be on more stable ground. She nodded her head at him.

"Will you, just uh, stand outside or something while I talk to him? I know he isn't going to hurt me or anything, but I – well – I don't know how close Max is right now, and…" She didn't make eye contact with him, hating herself for even asking this of him, but with her emotional state and his emotional state, she didn't want things to escalate too quickly if they didn't have to.

"Wouldn't be anywhere else. Don't worry Kens, we will get Deeks back." He gave her a quick hug, giving her his strength in it before letting her walk out the door. He decided to hang back a minute, letting her get over to him before standing guard at the door. Deeks may be Deeks right now, but the change to Max Gentry was getting to the point that it was almost within a blink of an eye, and he wouldn't leave Kensi there to handle it alone.

Kensi walked outside, arms folded over her chest. She saw Deeks sitting there next to his car, just like Callen had left him. She gathered her strength, walking over and sitting down next to him.

"I'm just like him. I don't deserve this." Those two sentences broke her heart, and she watched as Deeks didn't even acknowledge her presence, instead rocking ever so slightly and tapping his hand on his leg, repeating the words.

Tentatively, she put her hand on his arm, snapping him out of it. She brought her hand to his face and stroked his cheek as he locked eyes with her.

"Who are you like Deeks?" Her heart might be breaking, but she wouldn't show that right now, pushing down the almost constant threat of tears now.

"My dad… Max. I don't think I can do this. I just… it's not fair, you know?" He gave her a small, sad smile before standing up, pulling Kensi up with him.

"I need you Deeks. This baby – _our_ baby – needs you. Please don't leave us Deeks." She wasn't sure what she needed to say right here, but his face contorted into something almost Max-like and she knew it wasn't the right thing.

"I have to go. Neither one of you need me like this, not right now. I'm sorry Kens. I uh – I… yeah, I gotta go." He pulled away suddenly, almost going into a trance and she could hear him muttering Fern over and over. Before she could stop him, he had jumped in his car and was tore out of the parking lot, like he was trying to get away from the Devil himself. Well, if he's trying to get away from Max, might as well be the same thing.

Callen came up, both of them watching as Deeks's taillights disappeared. He looked over at her. He had never seen her cry before today, but he had seen more tears in the last 12 hours to last him a life time. He knew this was most likely pregnancy hormones, mixed with the stress and tumultuous nature of her partnership with Deeks, but he didn't think he'd ever get used to seeing her like this.

"What happened Kens?" He put one arm around her, steering them both back to her apartment. She leaned into him, trying to figure that out herself.

"He kept saying 'I'm just like him' and 'I don't deserve this.' I think I said the wrong thing to him. I drove him away, just like I drive everyone away eventually. God why was I so stupid? I knew this was going to happen, but I never imagined it like this." Callen realized then just how much time she spent with Deeks, because his rambling nature had rubbed off on her.

"Slow down. What did you say to him?" He toyed with the idea of walking to the fridge and getting a beer, but he didn't think that would be a good idea if Kensi couldn't have one too. He already had a borderline schizoid Deeks, a pregnancy induced hormonal Kensi… he didn't really want to give anyone a reason to kill him right now. And if he decided to pop a top, Kensi might just do that.

Instead of getting a beer, he grabbed them both a bottle of water and walked back to the couch, giving his baby sister a chance to calm down a little.

"Kens, what did you say?" He gently prodded her, needing to know the answer so he could figure out what to do next.

"I told him that this baby and I need him. I told him not to leave us. He got this Max Gentry look on his face and then he said that neither one us needs him like this and he was sorry and he had to go. Callen, what if he doesn't come back? Did I just bring Max full force?" She put her hand to her mouth for a minute, giving Callen the thought that she was going to be sick again. A few seconds later, his thoughts became reality as she dashed to the bathroom again. This time, however, he didn't think it was because of the morning sickness.

While Kensi was in the bathroom, he took his phone out, and sent a mass text to Sam, Hetty, Eric and Nell, asking them to come to Kensi's house ASAP. The responses were almost instant, each person coming back with a 'be there soon.' No questions asked. Even Hetty had responded quickly, the one person who wasn't big on texts, sensing the urgency and agreeing.

He started cleaning up Kensi's living room a little, knowing that what little he did wouldn't really have a big impact but feeling better to be doing something. Kensi raised her eyebrows at him when she walked out.

"What are you doing Callen? Why are you cleaning my living room?"

"I called the team over. Including Hetty, minus Deeks. We need a plan. Something has to be done soon if we have a chance in hell of getting the old Deeks back." Kensi let out a long sigh, knowing he was right but wanting to withdraw into herself tonight. She desperately wanted a gallon of ice cream, Top Model and a chance to wallow in her own private pity party before having to dive in head first into something dark and dangerous.

But this was Deeks. _Her_ Deeks. Her baby's father. Her best friend and hopefully her something more. And she couldn't be selfish right now, no matter how much she wanted to. So, she decided to pull her big girl panties up and gave Callen a nod, helping him clean up as they both waited for the cavalry to arrive.

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_AN - Not that long tonight, sorry. Hope you liked it, and you should know by now I love to hear your thoughts on it. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Here's another chapter. Thank you Kenzalina for looking it over and checking things out for me. You are amazing as always!_

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Deeks looked in his rear view mirror, seeing Kensi standing there watching him drive away and Callen walking up to her. He wasn't lying when he said they didn't need him like that. Her words, as innocent as they seemed, reminded him of his mother. Every time his dad would finish with his beatings, the first thing she would say was 'please don't leave me.'

And while he knew Kensi hadn't meant it like that – there was nothing wrong with her words – he couldn't help the flashback that came. And knowing Max Gentry was right there, he had to leave. It was for the best.

He hit his steering wheel, unable to keep the anger at bay anymore. Taking a deep breath, knowing he had to at least make it home before he unleashed something, he starting chanting Kensi's name, hoping it would calm him down.

Before long and not really paying attention anymore to where he was going, he found himself sitting in the parking lot of his dad's favorite bar. He looked at the old building, remembering all the times he had had to come and picked up his old man because he was too drunk to drive. He gripped the steering wheel, knuckles turning white. He could hear Max Gentry urging him to go inside, get a drink. _After everything that's happened, don't you deserve it? At the very least, it could be a celebratory drink for having knocked up a chick._

"Twinkies, Fern, chocolate, mismatched eyes." He could feel himself calming down just a fraction, and that was all he needed to put the car in drive and leave. Fifteen minutes later, he found himself back at Kensi's apartment. He may not have realized he was driving here, but he knew there was nowhere else he needed to be right now.

He needed her. She kept him grounded, and that's what he was hoping for right now. She had said she didn't know what to do to help him, but she was already doing so much just by being her. And now, she was pregnant. With his child. And he needed to be there for her, too. But he needed to be Deeks, fully, before he could take on something else.

Getting out of the car, he looked around and noticed the entire team's vehicles were there. _Perfect. I come to talk to Kensi – alone – I'm going to have to explain this whole bullshit situation to everyone. I'm sure they are already in there talking about me anyway. Absolutely perfect_.

"Really? We're going to do this now?" He was now talking to himself, pacing outside on the sidewalk. _What better time to do this?_

"How about never. I'm really liking that answer."_ Never may work for you, but not for me. Think about it man, do you really want to go in there and have everyone look at you like you're crazy?_

"I'm having a one sided conversation with myself and my alter ego. I'm already crazy, don't you think?" Deeks brought his hands up to his face, rubbing it, wishing he could rub Max Gentry off of him. _You really think you are fit to raise a child? Look at you, sweating, pale. Are you having cramps too?_

Deeks scoffed at the inner commentary. "It's not going to work this time." Before his subconscious could retort, he walked up to Kensi's door and knocked. He could hear the chatter inside, but couldn't make out the words. When the door opened, beautiful eyes meeting his with hope in them, he knew he made the right decision – this time at least.

"So… you guys having a party in here?"

* * *

Ten minutes after Callen sent the SOS message to the team, they had all arrived. Because Kensi's living room wasn't that big, it was pretty cramped, but no one seemed to mind. Sam and Hetty both had understanding looks on their faces, having an idea what this was about. Eric and Nell both looked a little lost, Nell putting the pieces together a little more quickly than Eric.

"So, what's the problem?" Eric wasn't sure what was going on, but the solemn expression on Kensi and Callen's face told him it was something big.

Callen looked over at Kensi, wondering how to begin this conversation. He didn't want to give anything away until she was ready, but he also knew that telling the team about the baby would have to happen soon.

Kensi, picking up his signal and the question in his eyes, decided it was now or never. She gave him a slight nod, took a breath, and decided to dive in.

"I'm having Deeks's baby." Silence filled the room. Hetty and Sam didn't have quite the same shocked expression that Eric and Nell did. If the situation hadn't been serious, she would have laughed. Instead, she looked back over at Callen who just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, that explains the sudden trip to the bathroom this morning. When did you find out?" Sam had a feeling this morning, having already gone through that with Michelle, but he was never one to jump to conclusions like that.

"After we left today. I realized the possibility of it coming back to my desk, hence the hyperventilating." Hetty and Sam nodded, understanding in their eyes. Eric and Nell kept glancing at each other before looking back at Kensi. Instead of acting shy or embarrassed at this turn of events, she gave them both a confident smile. There was absolutely nothing to be ashamed about, and she sure as hell didn't want anyone wondering if she was questioning it. She and Deeks may have a lot to work to do, the road ahead of them lined with speed bumps and debris, but they would maneuver it together.

"I took at test when I got home, and it was positive. Deeks came by this evening, and he knows about it, but the response was iffy at best." She turned her head to Callen, silently asking him to continue. He gave a small nod before continuing.

"You guys have noticed since he came back from LAPD and his undercover mission as Max Gentry that he's been off. Not in the field… when it matters, he's got his head in the game and he's the same old Deeks. But it's any other time. We all know that Max Gentry isn't a favored alias of his, and we can speculate why, but it doesn't really matter right now. Whatever happened on that assignment he was on, it's messing with him." He looked over at Sam, seeing that he wanted to say something.

"He talked to me today after you two left. The first part of it, as you were leaving, was obviously with Max. Later, after Callen texted me and said he was staying here today, he was Deeks again. When I asked him what was going on, I could see the internal struggle of whether or not to talk to me, but he finally opened up. He doesn't want to be Max, but he doesn't know how to stay Deeks. I told him when he felt like Max Gentry was too close, to use words associated with Marty Deeks, to help keep him grounded." Sam turned to Kensi, making sure to maintain eye contact with her.

"Every word he muttered today to keep Max away had to do with you." He watched the surprise in her eyes before she smiled a little.

Callen turned to Hetty. "Where's Nate and how soon can you bring him home?" Hetty nodded her head a little, knowing this question was coming and had already put the wheels in motion.

"He will be here tomorrow afternoon Mr. Callen. I spoke with Mr. Getz on the way over here this evening." Callen just shook his head a little at her, not really surprised.

"Good. The sooner he gets help, professional help, the better. We will be here for whatever he needs –"Callen turned to Kensi, "- whatever you both need. But there's only so much we can do." He looked around, noticing everyone was nodding.

Nell was the next to speak. "What can Eric and I do from OPS?" Callen could see where she was headed with this and smiled at her.

"Get us any info you can on his mission with LAPD. It would help a lot of if we knew what happened. We may not know everything that happened, but it will give us a place to start."

Hetty tilted her head a little, scrunching her eyes and looking at Callen.

"Don't you think Mr. Deeks should be the one to tell you what happened? He may not be very happy when he learns we went behind his back." She watched Callen, waiting for his response, and she didn't have to wait long. However, it was Kensi who spoke up this time.

"Hetty, I understand what you're saying, but I agree with Callen. The more we know what happened, the better we can help him. If we can figure out what certain triggers are, we can make sure to avoid them." Her face fell, thinking about the words she had said that had somehow triggered something, and not a good something. She was brought back to the present when Sam put his hand on her knee, squeezing a little.

"Something we need to know Kens?" His eyebrows were lifted, concern filling his voice.

"I was um… talking to him earlier. Telling him that we need him. I asked him to please not leave us." She shook her head at her words, remembering how he had ran like hell after those words.

"Kens, it wasn't your fault, okay? We all have our demons, deal with things in our own way. If this LAPD assignment had never happened, I have no doubt those words would not have affected him like that." Kensi could just nod at him, unable to speak right now.

"Okay, so Eric and Nell will work on getting more information on his assignment. Sam and I will start looking into Deeks's past –"Kensi gave him a pointed look, "discretely. He told Kensi he was just like his dad. I think there might be a little more to the story." Everyone nodded before Kensi realized she hadn't been included.

"What about me?" Callen smirked at her before answering.

"You… you grow a baby and make sure Deeks stays on track. That's the most important job here." Her eyes got big as she put her hand on her stomach.

"Yeah uh, okay. I can do that. I think. Of course I can. Right?" She looked around as everyone let out a resounding "Yes." She took a deep breath when she heard the knock on the door.

She quickly looked over at Callen, both of them raising eyebrows at each other. He went to stand when she scoffed at him.

"My house Callen. I may be pregnant, but I can still use a gun. And kick your ass. I can handle it." He laughed at her, letting her get up. Everyone watched as she opened the door, her body relaxing a little. And they all cringed slightly when they heard a very familiar voice.

"So… you guys having a party in here?"

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_AN - so what did you think? Reviews mean the world!_


	5. Chapter 5

_This chapter isn't as angsty as the previous ones, but that doesn't mean there aren't problems ahead. Hope you guys enjoy it. :) _

_Thanks to Kenzalina for looking it over for me! She's pretty awesome._

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Everyone watched as Deeks walked into Kensi's apartment. He flinched a little under the watchful eyes of the team and decided to try and joke it off.

"So, team bonding I see? What are we playing? Charades? You know, I'm great at charades." He let out a little sigh when everybody at least smiled a little. Deeks knew more than anyone how uncomfortable this was but he also realized just how important it was too. If he guessed correctly, they were here for him, to figure out a way to help him. And he couldn't fault them that.

He knew Max was close by, the events of the evening still raw for him but standing here with his family, he knew Max Gentry wouldn't make an appearance tonight. Kensi came back from the kitchen with another chair, putting it close to hers. It wasn't lost on him that she had placed the chair so close in fact that when they both sat down, there was no way they wouldn't touch. He looked over at her and smiled, winking at her. She blushed a little, but was happy to see that he was more like himself right now.

"Seriously though, I can guess at the topic of conversation. Moi, of course. So what would you like to know?" He looked around the room, subconsciously leaning a little closer to Kensi, feeling the heat of her body next to his. Sam and Callen shared a look before Sam decided to take control. It was obvious no one else, not even Hetty, wanted to start. He cleared his throat, bringing Deeks's attention to him.

"What did Kensi say earlier that set you off?" Sam figured that this was not only important for the trigger words, but also for Kensi's state of mind. He glanced over at her, and her face had fallen. He could tell that she didn't really want to bring that up right now, but the others knew it was a good place to begin.

Deeks was quiet for a moment, looking at Kensi and seeing the forlorn look on her face. She had been strangely quiet since he had shown up, and it was then he realized that she was worried about saying the wrong thing again. He reached over, almost having to pry her hands apart and intertwined their fingers. She looked up, getting lost in his eyes and he wanted to put her mind at ease, as best he could.

Everyone watched the action and a small smile came to their faces. It was a simple act, one that showed unity and care. Kensi's face relaxed and she smiled at him, watching as Deeks leaned over and whispered something to her, and she nodded, whispering something back.

"I'll do whatever I have to do to come back to you Kens. Always. I promise you that." Deeks whispered these words to her and she nodded.

"We aren't going anywhere." He put his forehead to hers for a second before addressing the waiting audience.

"I'm going to assume you guys know…" he trailed off, looking at Kensi. He figured she had already told them the news, but in case she hadn't, he didn't want to give it away yet. She gave him a nod and he smiled.

"So, yeah, there's a baby Deeks in there." He pointed to her stomach, making everyone laugh. The tension in the room eased a little more, making it easier for Deeks to continue. This was his – their – family, and they only wanted to help. They wouldn't judge his actions, wouldn't condemn him for his sins, but even knowing that, he knew it wouldn't be easy to open up. But he had meant his promise, and this was the path he had to take.

"So, wow, we are going to have back up the story a little here. You guys know that I didn't have the greatest childhood. It uh… well…" he stopped, taking a breath. Kensi squeezed his hand, moving their joined hands so that the rested near her stomach.

"My dad, Gordon Brandel, he wasn't exactly father of the year. He drank a lot, became violent if my mom and I so much as looked at him. He would take great pleasure in using his fists on my mom. And every time I tried to intervene, he would get this gleam in his eye, like it was something he was waiting for and then he would use me as his personal punching bag. Once he was done with us, my mom would always, _always_, look at him and beg him not to leave us. I remember laying there, unable to move, getting sick when I heard her say this. I never understood why she would want him to stay when he did this to us. When I was eleven, he came home from the bar more hammered than normal – if that was even possible – and grabbed his shotgun. Apparently she hadn't washed his favorite shirt. As he was waving it around, I knew that if I didn't do something, he would kill us both. So I grabbed the gun Ray had given me and before he knew what was going on, I shot him." Everyone was quiet. He looked around the room, gauging their reactions. The silence that filled the room put him on edge, the doubt that they wouldn't judge him creeping up.

He suddenly got up, causing Kensi to jump a little. She knew what was happening and she stood too, putting her hands to his face.

"Look at me." It took him a minute to make eye contact with her, but as soon as he did his heart rate slowed a little.

"No one is judging you Deeks. We all just needed a minute to process it, okay?" He nodded at her, taking deep breaths. She grabbed his hand again, pulling him back to their seats. He felt better when she didn't take her hand away, glad they she wasn't disgusted with him and his nightmarish past.

Sam had known his past wasn't all sunshine and roses, but he hadn't been expecting that. It explained his reaction to Kensi's words earlier, and he felt better knowing at least one part of the puzzle was solved. He took control of the conversation again, knowing the sooner it was out, the sooner the shaggy detective could find some peace.

"So when Kensi asked that you not leave them, that was the trigger, right?" Deeks nodded at him, knowing a little more explanation was needed.

"I wasn't in a good place when I first came over tonight." Deeks kept eye contact with Sam, remembering his words from earlier about showing up to Kensi's house as Max Gentry. Sam just gave him a small nod, telling him it was okay and to keep going.

"I saw Callen's car, and remembering everything from earlier had me getting angry again. By the time I got to the door, Max was pretty much in control. Kensi wouldn't let me in, and Callen came up behind her, eventually getting her to move so he could stand in front of her. I slapped the door, and whatever it was, it brought me back. We came inside, talked for a minute and then I headed to the restroom. I uh, there was… there was a pregnancy test on the counter, and I lost it. I came out, Callen standing near Kensi, and…" Deeks trailed off, ashamed of his actions and the accusations he had thrown around. Kensi looked at him, knowing he was hating himself right now, and she decided to take over.

"The rest of that doesn't matter. He was already Max, and even though I was able to bring Deeks back, I think it was too much at one time, and hearing those words with Max being so close was what triggered it." She looked over at Deeks, asking him with her eyes if that was what happened. He gave her a thankful smile and nodded.

"Yep, that pretty much sums it up." He looked around the room, hoping he didn't see disgust on anyone's face. Disgust he was already feeling for everything that had happened. But, almost shockingly, all he saw was determination. Each person in that room was ready to do what needed to be done. It didn't matter what had already happened, because now was the time to move past it.

"I owe everyone in this room an apology. For my actions since I've been back, for my words and my selfishness. For everything coming to this." He gestured around the room, but before he could continue, Sam interrupted him.

"No one here needs an apology Deeks. All of us, Eric and Nell excluded, have had aliases that have brought out the worst in us. The difference between us and you, you've never had anyone there for you when you came back." Sam looked over at Callen, seeing he had something he wanted to say.

"But now, Deeks, now you have us. All of us. And you have an added bonus – baby Deeks. You aren't alone, and we will make sure that something like this never happens again. I can tell you that we would have done this sooner, but we didn't realize how bad it was until today. We were trying to give you space, let you come down from the assignment the way that you knew how to. I don't think any of us realized exactly what you were going through. Max Gentry… is he an alias you made up based on your dad?" Callen had a nagging feeling, and decided to voice it.

Deeks just sighed, knowing someone was going to put two and two together eventually.

"Yeah. He's uh… well, Max Gentry is who I could have been if I hadn't made the choices I did. That's why it's always been so easy for me to slip into his skin. He's someone I grew up and hated all my life, someone I am almost uncomfortably comfortable being. Being Max, the things I have to do, it's what I almost was." Deeks let out a heavy sight and sat back, looking at Hetty, wondering why she had been so quiet this evening.

"Yes Mr. Deeks?" She held his gaze.

"Just wondering why you've been so quiet tonight." He cocked his head to the side as he asked it. All eyes turned to her.

"No reason Mr. Deeks. I'm merely listening to our team, our family, as they rally around one of their own, ready to take on hell if need be. Despite the circumstances, I am proud of everyone in this room. And I'm sorry to every one of you for not saying that sooner."

Deeks had been expecting a lot of things, but not that. He was humbled by her words, the truth of them hitting him square in the chest.

"Mr. Deeks, I have called in a professional for you to talk to. As much as we would like to help you, I think it would do you good to talk to someone who is more qualified. Mr. Getz will be here tomorrow afternoon. I suggest that you talk to him, tell him what's going on, so that the demons that haunt you today will be vanquished for tomorrow."

Deeks just sat there, overwhelmed by the support. For someone who was so used to doing things alone, he knew this time, this time he didn't have to. Not only did he have the team, he had Kensi. And even more than that, they had created a tiny miracle that was growing inside of her.

"Thank you Hetty." It was all he could muster, knowing it wasn't enough but unable to put his feelings into words.

"Nothing to thank me for Mr. Deeks. Now, it has been a long day for everyone. I believe we should all take our leave, and let our two expectant parents to have their own talk." Everyone nodded and stood up.

Nell was the first one over to them. She and Eric had been quiet through the whole thing, but they didn't have a lot of experience with aliases and alter egos and the transition process, so no one faulted them for just watching.

As soon as Nell walked up, she wrapped her arms around Deeks, who hugged her back.

"If there's anything I can do, please don't hesitate to ask, okay Shaggy?" She pulled away, and Deeks smiled and nodded at her.

"You got it Velma." He ruffled her hair, making her laugh. She then turned to Kensi and repeated the process, bringing her into a bone crushing hug.

"I want in on the baby buying process, got it?" Kensi laughed at her, thankful that she would have help. She knew she was going to need it, but Kensi never was very good at asking.

"Wouldn't have it any other way. I'm going to need all the help I can get." Nell put her hand on Kensi's stomach, talking to the baby.

"Hi there baby Deeks. This is your Auntie Nell. I can't wait to meet you and teach you all about analyzing things. It may not sound fun, but trust me baby Deeks, it's all about how to use the things you learn to blackmail later on." Kensi's eyes filled with tears and she chuckled. Deeks reached for her hand again. They eyes locked and for a moment nothing else mattered. It wasn't until Eric came up next, putting his hand on Deeks's shoulder that brought them out of their reverie.

"I'm uh, I'm going surfing in the morning. Surf report says the swells should be pretty awesome. Wanna join me?" He knew from snippets of conversation with Deeks that he had only been surfing once since getting back. Eric may not know anything about going undercover, but he knew something no one else on the team but Deeks knew, and that was surfing.

Deeks gave him a grateful smile. "Yeah, count me in. Thanks Eric." Deeks shook his hand, already looking forward to the morning, getting out there and doing something he loved but had neglected lately.

Eric then stood next to Kensi and followed Nell's actions. He gave Kensi an expectant look, nervous to cross any unseen boundaries he didn't know were there. She just smiled and nodded at him and watched as he placed a shaky hand on her belly.

"Hi baby Deeks. I'm your Uncle Eric. I'm going to teach you all the cool stuff, like video games and hacking into computers. But we won't tell your mom and dad." The entire room erupted into laughter, and Eric let out a relieved sigh. Kensi surprised him by giving him a quick hug.

"Thank you Eric." She whispered it, and he smiled at her. "Anything you need, Kens, just let me know." She nodded at him, knowing she was going to be full on crying by the time everyone left if this kept up.

Callen was next in line. He wasn't usually touchy-feely, but today he opted to give Deeks a quick man-hug. Deeks was a little taken aback at it, but smiled at him.

"You've got this Deeks. And we are all here for you. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything, okay?" Deeks smiled at him.

"You'll be the first to know Callen. Thanks man." Callen nodded at him and moved on to Kensi. It seemed everyone wanted to touch her belly and talk to the baby, and while she wasn't used to this much attention, she welcomed it. Callen placed his hand on her stomach and smiled.

"Hey there little one. I'm your Uncle Callen. I may not know about the techy stuff Uncle Eric will teach you, or the apparent blackmail Aunt Nell will pass on, but I'm much cooler. I can teach you how to disappear. But if you use that particular skill to hide from your parents, we will be having a serious talk, got it?" Kensi started laughing at his words and hugged him.

"This baby hides from us, you're going to be the one to find it. And then I will kill you." Callen started laughing too, glad that things, for once, seemed a little more normal.

"Don't listen to mommy. She's not going to hurt me." Kensi gave him _the_ look, and he amended his statement. "Much." He patted her tummy once more, smiling at her.

"Remember, you just work on growing this baby. You need anything, let me know." Her eyes filled again and she nodded at him. "I can do that."

Sam was next, looking at Deeks with a serious expression. Deeks held his gaze, not wavering from it, which made Sam relax his face and smile at him.

"You are not alone Deeks. Not this time. And one day soon, Callen, Eric and I are going to kidnap you and have a guy's night. Beers and basketball. What do you say?"

"That sounds perfect." His answer was simple, and he found he was actually sincere with it. It had been a while since the guys had gone out… in fact, since before the assignment. And he was already looking forward to it, to getting back to normal routines and new experiences.

"Good." Sam's smile was big now, grasping the man's hand and pulling him to him, hugging him quickly.

Sam didn't waste any time with Kensi. He immediately put his hand on her stomach and started talking.

"Hey there baby. You be nice to your mommy while you're in there, okay? She's already got a temper and if you start giving her a hard time, she's going to get cranky. Cranky mommy is no good. She needs to be happy mommy. But don't worry, your daddy knows how to calm her down. And when you are old enough, I'll teach you how to take care of yourself. Girl or boy, you will know how to take down someone twice your size like your mommy. But all of us will teach you how to use your new found skills for good. We don't want you turning out like your Uncle Callen, now do we?" Callen looked at him.

"Really Sam? I use my skills for good. Don't try being the favorite, we all know that spot's reserved for me. I will be the coolest uncle." These words started a very heated conversation between the three uncles on who had the coolest skills and who would be the favorite. Hetty just shook her head and chuckled before finishing up the line. She took Deeks's hand in hers and looked at him.

"You have a whole family behind you ready to take on the world for you Mr. Deeks. And now, you have a family ahead of you, too. And that's something worth fighting for." Deeks leaned down, drawing the tiny woman into a hug.

"Definitely worth fighting for. Thank you Hetty. I wouldn't have any of this if it wasn't for you, for taking a chance and bringing me in. I know the immediate road ahead won't be easy, but I also know it's worth it." She smiled at him, bringing her hand to his cheek.

"More than worth it Mr. Deeks." She patted his cheek and moved to Kensi, placing her hand on the woman's stomach like the others before her.

"Hello there sweet child. This is your great aunt –"Kensi cut her off before she could finish.

"Grandmother." For the first time any of them could ever remember, they saw Hetty's eyes fill with tears. Hetty had to wait a moment to compose herself before continuing.

"Well, then, let's start over shall we? This is your Grandma Hetty. You are most fortunate, little one, to have such a strong and loving family waiting for you here. They all will bring their own trades to teach you, showing you the ways of the world with gentle hands and open hearts. I have no doubt that you will be spoiled beyond belief, but you will also need to help keep your aunt and uncles in line. You have an amazing mommy and daddy here, too, that can't wait to meet you. So, since everyone else has bestowed some kind of knowledge they will pass to you, I will bring wisdom. But along with wisdom – wouldn't want you getting bored with me, now do we – I will also teach you how to be a ninja." Everyone immediately started laughing, tears streaming down Kensi's face at the overwhelming feeling of love for everyone in this room.

Deeks put his arm around Kensi and she leaned into him.

"If anyone can teach this baby the ways of the wise ninja, it's definitely Grandma Hetty." Deeks smiled as he said it, looking down at the smaller woman with love and affection in his eyes.

Hetty drew her attention back to Kensi.

"Thank you dear. I'm not sure you know how much that title means to me." Kensi did the same as Deeks, drawing her into a hug.

"You are the mother of this strange little family, Hetty. A surrogate mother to us all. 'Grandma' is the only thing you could be to this baby." Hetty wiped her eyes and nodded at the younger woman.

"Well, I think it's time to take our leave." She turned to Deeks again. "Now, I don't expect to see you two until after lunch tomorrow. Don't forget Mr. Deeks, Mr. Getz will be here tomorrow afternoon. No time like the present to starting putting things right."

"Yes ma'am, we will be there. Thank you Hetty. I know I've said it a lot tonight, but just…"he looked around the room at everyone, "thank you. All of you. For everything." They all nodded at them, noticing how tired Kensi looked.

As soon as the door closed, Deeks walked over to it and locked it. He turned and saw Kensi sitting on the couch, head back and eyes closed. As much as he wanted to talk to her tonight, he knew she needed some rest. He walked over to her and scooped her up, and was a little surprised when there was no resistance. Kensi just snuggled into his chest more, sighing.

"Come on Princess. Let's get you in bed." He smiled warmly at her as she simply nodded her head. He laid her down, covered her up and went to leave when she stopped him.

"Deeks… stay?" She opened her eyes, watching him.

"Kens, I don't –"he ran his hand through his already disheveled hair.

"Please, Deeks. Stay." He had never been able to deny her anything, and he knew he wasn't going to start now. He nodded at her and stripped down to his boxers before climbing in next to her.

Deeks pulled her back up against his chest, letting his hand drift to her stomach and used his thumb to caress the skin there.

"Sleep Kensi. I know you need it. Goodnight baby Deeks." He didn't get an answer, though, the tiny snort snores coming from the beautiful brunette already filling the room. Saying a quick prayer that his nightmares would stay away tonight, he closed his eyes too, and quickly fell asleep.

* * *

_IMPORTANT - if you read any of bookdiva's stories (and if you don't, you should), she has come across an unforeseen problem and updating her stories may be sporadic (if at all) for at the least the next two weeks, maybe longer. _

_AN - Sooooo...what did you think?_


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